Neck-yoke center.



No. 683,913. Patented Oct. 8, I90l. T. DE LA MARE;

NECK YOKE CENTER.

(Apphcatxon filed Dec 27 1900) (No Model.)

NTTED STATES PATENT Fries.

NECK Y OKE CENTER.

SPEGIEIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,913, d t d O t b 8, 1901.

Application filed December 27, 1900. Serial No. 41,250. (No model.)

'To (/tZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS DE LA ll/IARE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tooele, in the county of Tooele and State of Utah, have invented a new and useful Neck- Yoke Center, of which the following is a specification.

' The invention relates to improvements in neck-yoke centers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of neck-yoke centers and to provide a simple, strong, and durable one adapted to permit a neck-yoke to swing freely both vertically and horizontally and capable of being connected to tongues or poles of different sizes.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a neck-yoke center constructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to a portion'of a neck-yoke and a pole. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the adjustable sleeve. Fig. 4. is a similar view of the neck-yoke plate or band.

Like numerals of'reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a neck-yoke band secured by suitable fastening devices to a neck-yoke 2 and having overlapping upper portions 2 and The front side of the neck-yoke band is tapered at the top to form the overlapping portion 2, and the rear side of the band is provided at the top with a straight edge and is arranged beneath the tapered overlapping portion 2. The neck-yoke band is provided with a socket 3, composed of two curved walls or sections 4, receiving a ball or head 5 and spaced apart at their side and bottom edges to provide an opening or way for a stem 6, which connects the ball or head 5 with a ring 7. The ball forms a bearing on which the neck-yoke is adapted to rotate in swinging horizontally, and the space or opening between the sections of the socket permits the neck-yoke to roll backward and forward. The neck-band is provided at its front with an enlarged opening 8, adapted to permit the ball or head to be readily passed through it when the neck-yoke band is removed from the neck-yoke, whereby the ball or head may be readily introduced into and removed from the socket.

The ring 7 is adapted to be arranged on the front portion of a tongue or pole 9 in the usual manner, and it passes through depending flanges 10 of a sleeve 11, which is split longitudinally at its bottom, whereby it is adapted to be expanded and contracted, and thereby adjusted to suit poles and tongues of different sizes. By this construction a neckyoke may be readily transferred from the -pole of a wagon to the pole of a sleigh or to the pole or tongue of any other vehicle crimplement, such as a plow or the like, although such poles or tongues may varyin size. The depending flanges 10 of the sleeve 11 are provided with slots or openings 10, extending upward from the lower edges of the flanges and rounded at the top to conform to the configuration of the ring 7. The ring 7 is retained in the openings or recesses 10 of the flanges 10 by means of plates 10", riveted or otherwise secured to the outer faces of the flanges 10 and provided with slots or recesses extending downward from the upper edges of the said plates 10 and rounded at the bot tom to conform to the configuration of the ring 7. By this construction the parts may be readily assembled and the adjustable sleeve 11 may be constructed of any suitable material. The sleeve 11, which tapers to conform to the general configuration of a poletip 12, is adapted to abut against the flange 13 thereof, and it is retained on the pole-tip by means of a spring-catch 14, secured to the exterior of the sleeve and provided with a projection 15, adapted to engage a socket or recess of the pole-tip. The spring-catch, which preferably consists of a resilient shank, is arranged at the top of the sleeve and is secured at its rear end to the same by a rivet 16 or other suitable fastening device,as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, and the front end 17 of the resilient shank is bent outward to form a handle or grip for enabling the spring-catch to be readily lifted to release the sleeve. The lug or projection 15, which extends from the inner face of the resilient shank, is located near the outer end thereof, and it projects through a perforation of the sleeve.

It will be seen that the neck-yoke center is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it is adapted to be readily applied to poles and tongues of different diameters, and that itdoes not necessitate any material alteration in the same, as it is only necessary to provide a socket for the lug or projection of the spring-catch.

"What is claimed is A device of the class described comprising a neck-yoke band, a stem connected therewith and provided With a ring, a sleeve split longitudinally and located within the ring and provided With side flanges having recesses receiving the ring, and the plates secured to the side flanges and having recesses at their inner or upper edges and confining the ring in the said recesses of the flanges, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMASDE LA MARE.

Vitnesses:

JOHN GILLESPIE, XVM. S. MARKS. 

